black_marchfandomcom-20200214-history
Luminarie, Druidic Order of Trifalge Forest
Aether and the Origins of the Luminarie: ' The Luminarie were founded nearly 5 millennial ago, when the Goddess Luminaria gifted Trifalge forest with a reflecting pool of supernatural power. In the pool grows the mineral-plant hybrid Aether; Aether has the natural properties of rejuvenation and healing . When harnessed, Aether can significantly prolong a creature's life and even grant immortality to those particularly attune to its magic. Luminaria chose a select four to be the keepers of this gift and taught them how to "attune" with the Aether. These elders live to this day and continue to lead the Luminarie. '''Sects: ' The Luminarie are broken into 4 seperate sects, each run by a member of the elder council. '''Antherion "Wolven Sect": Lead by the Elder Shadow Walker, the Antherion are the agents of secrecy. Their ultimate goal is maintaining the secrecy of the Aether in the wider world. Acting primarily as spies and agents, the Antherion will often be found working within Catheria and its surrounding territories. They favor illusion spells and beast forms with inherent stealth abilities, most notably wolves. Berserken "Boar Sect": Lead by the Elder Strong Wind, the Berserken are the warrior arm of the Luminarie. They primarily act as guards and are rarely seen outside of Trifalge Forest. Often regarded as more beast than man, they rely heavily on wild shape abilities and offensive spells. Their primary form is that of a large boar. Cervidae "Stag Sect": Lead by the Elder Deep Roots, the Cervidae are the enlightened sages and seers of the Luminarie. The Cervidae are regarded as the spiritual leaders of the order. The Cervidae do not often appear in beast form, acting rather as healers and sages with a vast knowledge of restoration and divination spells. Luminaria often communicates in the natural world in the form of a white stag or doe, hence the name of the sect. Corvus "Raven Sect": Lead by the former Elder Night Walker, were the keepers of the Aether. They were exiled from the Luminarie after tainting the Aether with dark energy. Though not known for certain, they are believed to have formed the faction House of the Hollow, and now reside in Kelm. The Attunement: The Attunement is the process by which Aether is grafted or "rooted" to a willing creature. The Luminarie graft the mineral to its members as a rite of passage within the order; upon this time each Luminarie is given to a particular sect. Rather than reproduce naturally, when a Luminarie does die, they refill their ranks with the "innocent". The recruits are often times orphans or people with little family attachment. During Attunement each member is also given a "root name" (a code name of sorts) by which each member refers to each other. As to not arouse suspicion about their age, a Luminarie will change their given name several times throughout their life.The Aether gives the order a particularly deep connection to the surrounding forest and allows them to freely communicate with its natural inhabitants. Dark Aether: Corvus Fall and Forced Exile Nearly 5 centuries ago, the Nether Lord Ungar sought to claim the Aether as his own tool of darkness. He succeeded in converting the Corvus, and gave them the dark energy by which they could manipulate Aether. This mutilated form, which appears dark red and ruby like, still allows prolonged life, but also gives the user an affinity for raising the dead. Rather than preserving the body in a younger form, the Dark Aether scars and mutilates its users severing their connection to the natural world. Luminaria was furious with the Corvus for mutilating the Aether and called for their forcible exile. A civil war raged, and eventually the Corvus were forced to flee Catheria finding refuge in the neighboring Kelm. In hopes of finding the last remnants of the Corvus, the Antherion were dispatched to Kelm during the War of The Princes. Though the the remnants of the Corvus were not located directly, due to the eventual withdraw of the Catherian forces, a new faction called House of the Hollow arose to notoriety in Kelm. The Luminarie, to this day, believe that the House of the Hollow might have been founded by the expelled Corvus druids.